Transformers Short Story

Wash Day

The base was peaceful. Rose leaned back in her chair, clasping her hands together in her lap and watching her soldiers mill about from her office glass sidings. Strong sunlight was filtering in from the tall silo window at the front of the base, allowing a soft glow to fill the space she occupied. Rose hummed, glancing back at her finished work; a stack of medical shipments for Mitsy, before straightening and rereading her schedule. A shadow moved across her window and she glanced up quickly, meeting the optics of the weapons master, Ironhide. He motioned to his commlink and then towards the base with a prompting look. Rose returned back to her calendar with a sigh before powering down her monitor, leaving her chair to meet Ironhide outside her office. Ironhide gave her a small smile as she appeared from the room, "Ya got a sec?" Rose watched him curiously, "I do, what's up?" Ironhide peered around the base, watching the soldiers slip in and out of the base without paying the two any mind, "A favor...." Rose raised her brows at him, "I'm listening." Ironhide's cannons whirled softly as he unfurled them from his forearms, showing off the impressive machinery; looking almost bashful as he finished, "Well it's deep clean day...you mind?" Rose peered at the pristine weapons with a neutral look, "They look clean to me." Ironhide's face twitched and he snorted, "I wouldn't let you near these things even if I was lying on my deathbed." Rose blinked and prompted, "Then...?" Ironhide motioned to the main hanger with a shrug, "Ratchet's convinced Prime to make us deep clean our alt-modes...stupid really but we have no idea what we're doing." Rose smiled at the mention of their predicament and mused, "You've been a car for years now and you don't know how to clean yourself?" Ironhide shuttered his optics, steam puffing from his olfactory system, "Yeah, yeah...you gonna help or not?" Rose pursed her lips and smiled, "I'll get the boys in on the fun too I suppose." Ironhide rubbed at his forearms, "Fine...can't get away from the slag their going to give anyways." Rose smirked, "Not here you can't." 

Rose surveyed her cleaning crew with an amused look; everyone had been separated, each with cleaning supplies to help their partners and any other bot who had chosen them for the task. Rose shook her head and sorted through her own tools before sending a measured look to Ratchet, Optimus, Drift, and Ultra Magnus's alt-forms as they walked patiently in their lots just outside the base doors. Epps appeared at her side with the hose, smirking mischievously at her. He pointed the spout at her with a smirk to which Rose was about to give him a sharp look but was cut off as he sprayed her with the cold water. Rose gritted her teeth and flung her sponge at him; the foam square hitting him in the head with a wet splat. Epps grunted before he smiled goodnaturedly, flinging it back in her direction, "Thought you looked hot so I wanted to help." Rose rolled her eyes before remarking tartly, "I always look hot Epps so you wasted your water." Epps barked out a laugh with the rest of the soldiers and their Autobot companions. He shook his head, his eyes full of mirth before filling up her bucket with cool refreshing water; doing the same to the rest of the buckets. Rose smoothed over her wet green undershirt with a grimace before dunking her sponge into her bucket, adding soap as an afterthought. She glanced at the rest of her soldiers; some were already at work or taking turns ambushing each other with the hose. She smiled in their direction before turning her attention back to her companions, the soapy sponge raised in greeting. Ratchet's voice jumped from his alt-mode, "You better not mess up my paint job." Rose sighed, flinging water droplets at him, which he dodged with an outraged mutter, "I'll try not to." Drift shifted his tires, motioning to Rose's supplies, "I would like to go first." Rose nodded with a shrug, "Okay...anything off limits?" Drift considered her question with a soft hum, "No...just do not get my treads wet." Rose nodded dutifully before picking up her bucket, and starting the manual work of cleaning his form. Once the brunt of his frame had been soaped up she started cleaning the smaller cavities that the Autobot wasn't able to reach; his grill platings, wheel spokes, windshield wiper poles, etc...Rose stood back to measure her work with skeptic's eyes, looking for any other places she could clean for him. Drift shifted his wheels again as water started to drip onto his tires, "I believe you have gotten all of it...I can air dry." Rose glanced over his form again before nodding, all of the soap had been cleared and his alt-mode gleamed in the bright sunlight. Drift tested his wheels again, slowly backing out to allow Rose better access to the rest of the bots she was tasked with. He pulled behind Ultra Magnus, "Thank you, Rose." Rose peered at him from where she was pouring out the rest of the muddy water, refilling it with the forgotten hose, "No problem, Drift...happy to help." Drift rested deeper onto his wheels with a small sigh, doing the equivalent of sunbathing in the Nevada heat. Ratchet's frame was next. Rose stepped up to his form with a smile, playfully flicking water at him while she moved the rest of her supplies. As she started on his frame, with little resistance on his part, popular music started to play over the base speakers joining the chatter of her soldiers. Rose glanced over her shoulder, chuckling as Lennox tried to get close to Ironhide's cannons, which were tightly tucked away when in his alt-form. Lennox gave her an exasperated look when Ironhide knocked over his bucket, intentionally distracting him from his weaponry. Rose shook her head with a smile, continuing her work on Ratchet's frame to the music. Ratchet grumbled as the cold water washed over his grill, "Be careful, it's cold." Rose sent him an apology dismissively before making light work over his finer parts, being sure to pay special attention to the white sections on his paint job. Ratchet relaxed onto his tires, allowing Rose to reach higher parts of his frame, "Do you want me to clean inside too?" Ratchet considered her offer for a few moments before declining, "No need, I can do that later." Rose nodded, "Alright...anything I missed?" Ratchet surveyed his frame with an approving tone, "Not that I can see." Optimus's light tone surrounded Rose as he offered helpfully, "You look beautiful Ratchet." Ratchet's engine sputtered and he barked, "Stop that." Optimus's rich tone chuckled from his lot next to him, "It is true." Rose rolled her eyes at the two, "Alright, lovebirds...Ratchet can you move so I can get to Optimus?" Ratchet sniffed (if he was in his pede-form he would be glaring at Optimus), "Gladly." He backed out of his lot and pulled in beside Drift's side. Optimus chuckled softly to himself before stilling as Rose neared his frame, "I don't require any cleaning inside, however, my grill will need work." Rose nodded in understanding, a teasing tone filling her voice, "You gonna do that later too?" Ratchet reeved his engine angrily, "Don't take my words out of context." Epps interrupted before Rose could answer, "Rose having a dirty mind...never." Rose picked up her sponge again, shoving it threatening in his view, "Careful before I throw this somewhere important." Epps winced, throwing his hands in the air to surrender, "Alright, alright." Rose rolled her eyes, returning back to Optimus's frame, starting on his grill with a sigh, "Sometimes I wonder why I put up with these children." Optimus chuckled pleasantly under her hand, "I find myself wondering the same." Bumblebee, overhearing his words, beeped angrily, "Who are you calling children?" Crosshairs green mode rolled up next to Bumblebee, both their frames already done, "He's talkin' bout you." Bumblebee chirped indignantly but Ultra Magnus cleared his pipes, effectively ending the beginnings of a long argument. Crosshairs smartly backed away to sit on Drift's other side, deciding to annoy the samurai instead. Rose shook her head, rubbing at the stubborn grime lodged in Optimus's grill, "What'd you do? Intentionally roll in the mud?" Optimus hummed as Rose cleared more muck away, "My apologies, it seems I underestimated the amount of cleaning my grill would require." Rose stopped his apology with a tut, "Don't worry that's what this wash day is for." Rose continued on his grill, finally making real progress and moving on to his frame; which just needed a once-over. She nodded her head in satisfaction, "Alright you should be all good now." Optimus tested his frame before expressing his thanks, his voice warm, "Thank you, Rose." Rose nodded distractedly, waving him off as he maneuvered around Ratchet, who refused to move from behind Optimus. She surveyed the last of her group and asked warily, "Any requests?" Ultra Magnus's dull tone was slightly harsh as she approached, "Nothing on the inside soldier...a simple clean should be enough on my exterior." Rose nodded along, starting on his form with her new bucket of soapy water. Ultra Magnus was hardly dirty and Rose only needed to do a few passes with the sponge before his frame was gleaming like the rest of the finished bots. Ultra Magnus muttered his polite thanks before sinking into his wheels, soaking up the sun. Rose poured out the rest of her water, wringing out the sponge and setting aside her cleaning tools to dry before evaluating the rest of her soldiers. Most of the bots were already done and already most soldiers were messing with the leftover water or relaxing in the sun next to their partners, chatting idly. Rose stretched her used muscles with a sigh before shielding her eyes to glance up at the sun, clear skies for the rest of the day, and 85-degree weather; the perfect combination. She was about to join the bots in her group when she was covered head to toe in lukewarm water. Rose gasped and shook her head, ridding the water from her eyes before turning on her attacker with a tight-lipped smile. Mitsy stared at her innocently as she held the now-empty bucket on her hip, "Oops." Rose narrowed her eyes playfully, "You've got three seconds to run." Misty's eyes widened, "You wouldn't." Rose held up one finger as she started her count, "Seeing as you just poured water all over me...I would." A resounding cheer went up from the watching crowd. Mitsy abruptly shed her doctor's coat, slinging it at the base doors to keep it dry, "Your on." She took off swiftly, shielding herself with another Autobot. Rose chuckled, counting to three before taking off after her, her soldiers egging her on. She snagged one of the unoccupied buckets and trod carefully between each Autobot, looking for any sign of their Medic. She peered down the side of Strongarm's alt-mode, just missing Mitsy as she flung around the corner. Rose gave chase, sloshing water against the sides of her bucket. Mitsy peered behind her shoulder, meeting Rose's eyes before she dodged around Ironhide, who moved immediately to block Rose's path with a chuckle. Rose sloshed some water on him, to which he bellowed at her, his holo-form materializing and wrestling Rose playfully to the ground. Rose rolled him over with a triumphant look, pinning him to the ground before continuing her chase laughing as she caught up to Mitsy. Mitsy weaved around her group, deciding to hide behind Ratchet, who was retreating at the sight of Rose with her bucket. Rose smirked before cutting to Ratchet's side, intercepting Mitsy from escaping that way. Mitsy backed up against the base with her hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright, you caught me." Rose lifted her bucket up dumping it on the doctor with no remorse. Mitsy sputtered, shaking the excess water from her form. She rolled her eyes at Rose's triumphant smirk before putting her arm around Rose's shoulders, pressing her wet clothes to Rose's frame with a chuckle. Ratchet reversed slowly, his windshield wipers wiping over excess drops with a grumble. Lennox smirked at them when he came into view, "Have fun?" Rose nodded her head with a laugh, "Haven't done that in a while." Mitsy glanced at Lennox's dry form before whispering into Rose's ear, "He looks a little too dry." Rose smiled at her, connecting to Ironhide's comm, "Hey can you hold Lennox?" Ironhide's holo-form smirked from behind Lennox's frame, nodding in their direction. Both women approached Lennox with twin evil looks. Lennox furrowed his brow with a puzzled look and when he tried to back away Ironhide gripped his arms together, locking him in place with a mock apology. Both women quickly hugged Lennox to them, effectively soaking him too. Lennox groaned when they step out of the embrace and surveyed his ruined clothes, "Come on I took a shower yesterday!" Rose shrugged, "Well you can take another one." Lennox flicked water at her and pursed his lips with a thoughtful look in her direction, "You know what? You're right, I can..." he tackled Rose to the ground, "... and so can you!" Rose laughed, rolling them both over each other on the pavement. The crowd chanted both their names, betting on the winner. Lennox rolled her to her back, pinning her down with his hips and hands. Rose smirked, "Usually I'm on top." Lennox flushed and Rose used his distraction to flip them over, pinning Lennox on his stomach with her own move before pulling him to his feet with a smile, "You got distracted, Princess." Lennox rolled his eyes at the nickname and wiped the dust from his form, "Yeah, yeah I know."